Today is Berchtoldstag (also Bechtelistag, Bächtelistag, Berchtelistag, Bärzelistag, in Liechtenstein Bechtelstag, Bechtle) in parts of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is near New Year’s Day, during the latter part of the 12 days of Christmas, in Switzerland nearly always on 2 January (in Frauenfeld on the third Monday in January), with the status of a public holiday in a number of cantons. It is spoken of as an Alemannic holiday, meaning that it occurs in regions where Alemannic German dialects remain spoken, which include German Swabia and Baden, French Alsace, German-speaking Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg. Its observation is attested since the 14th century, although celebrations were limited after the Protestant Reformation.

Throughout pre-industrial Europe, agricultural laborers had a great deal of work to do before the midwinter break at Christmastide, so their annual round was quite different from the contemporary materialist mayhem that cranks up months before Christmas, resulting in a huge sigh of relief when Christmas can be left behind. Rather, pre-industrial laborers ground out tough, short, cold, days leading up to Christmas, and welcomed the relief that almost a fortnight of holiday afforded before getting back to ploughing and lambing in January. Consequently, they found excuses to extend the Christmas merriment as much as possible in different ways. Berchtoldstag is one such custom.

Various speculations exist concerning the holiday’s name. Blessed Berchtold of Engelberg abbey died circa 2nd November 1197, and the abbey could have been important enough to translate his feast out of advent. According to others, the name celebrates a hunting trip circa 1191 by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen, who decided to name his new city after the first animal he killed on that trip, hence Bern, Switzerland. Another speculation associates the name with the verb “berchten,” which means “to walk around, asking for food.” The most likely explanation is offered by the Schweizerisches Idiotikon that considers it derived from Middle High German berhttac or berhteltac, which translated the Greek epiphanias. (Epiphany). Berchtoldstag especially occurs in Protestant regions where Epiphany has been abolished and replaced by a second day-off after New Year’s Day.

In the German-speaking cantons of Zurich, Thurgovia and some parts of Central Switzerland, families celebrate the holiday with meals at taverns or offered by traditional societies. The Argovian village of Hallwil holds a masked parade with entries symbolizing fertility, age, ugliness, wisdom, vice, etc. In the French-speaking Vaud, children celebrate Berchtoldstag with neighborhood parties which include traditional dancing and singing.

Nuts are associated with this holiday. They are both eaten in a “nut feast” and used for games. Children build “hocks” of four nuts close together on the ground with a fifth nut balanced on top. Here is Swiss nusstorte (nut tart) in keeping with the holiday.

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My name is Juan Alejandro Forrest de Sloper. Daily I post an anniversary with a suitable recipe du jour. Although the anniversary material is often really prominent, try to remember that, first and foremost, this is a FOOD BLOG.

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[Photo: Denise Yanko]

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